Limited serie of 75 pieces only

Mercedes-Benz S Type 26/180 Sports Tourer — an exceptional Gläser creation

In 1928, the Mercedes-Benz S Type 26/180 represented one of the most powerful and prestigious automobiles of its generation. Developed under the direction of Ferdinand Porsche, it combined a substantial 6.8-litre straight-six engine with a Roots supercharger, allowing the engine to produce up to 180 hp when engaged. Only 146 Type S examples were produced in 1927 and 1928.

Chassis 35920, fitted with engine number 68674, was commissioned by Louis Delling, a successful businessman from Dresden. The car was delivered on 30 May 1928 by the local Daimler-Benz agent and received an elegant Sports Tourer body by Gläser, the respected Dresden coachbuilder.

With its long bonnet, open four-seat configuration and particularly sporting proportions, the body gave the large Mercedes a lighter and more dynamic appearance than the imposing representative automobiles of the period.

The history of the coachwork, however, contains a small mystery. A Buhne coachbuilder's badge was added to the car at a later date, which led for many years to the body being attributed to the Berlin coachbuilder. More recent historical research has uncovered documents showing that chassis 35920 was delivered to Gläser and that its body had never been replaced. Gläser is therefore now considered the most credible attribution.

By 1935, the car had already left Germany and was in British hands. It crossed the Atlantic in 1954 and arrived in the United States.

In 1964, it was acquired by an American family who would keep it for 57 years. Far from remaining hidden away in a collection, the Mercedes was regularly used for tours, rallies and concours events. It also changed colour several times during this long period before receiving a more restrained black finish in 2016.

Maintained for many years by renowned specialists, the car was eventually offered at auction in 2021 after more than half a century with the same family. Collector interest reflected its rarity: it sold for $5.395 million, becoming one of the most important Mercedes-Benz Type S automobiles ever offered at auction.

Today, chassis 35920 is regarded as a unique Type S example with Gläser coachwork, representing both the extraordinary performance of late-1920s Mercedes-Benz automobiles and the creative freedom offered by bespoke coachbuilding at the time.

The Ilario 1:43 scale model

The IL124 model reproduces chassis 35920 and its remarkable Gläser Sports Tourer coachwork.

Particular attention has been paid to its proportions, long bonnet, open silhouette and the details that give this Mercedes its distinctly sporting character.

Through this creation, Ilario pays tribute to an exceptional automobile whose rarity, eventful history and unique coachwork make it one of the great Mercedes-Benz automobiles of the 1920s.